“They are trained using tasers now, and electrical rods,” she says, “they are caged 96 percent of their lives and they are not provided with adequate conditions in transferring them.”

Tenti claims that one elephant, named Nosey, was removed from the show after a complaint that she was chained too tightly.

“The UniverSoul circus has been cited in the past for mistreating their animals; keeping them chained, not giving them proper medical attentional, not giving them proper nutrition,” Tenti says. She cites a 2011 U.S. Department of Agriculture report on the animals’ owner, Hugo Liebel.

Earlier this year, Liebel agreed to a $7,500 fine to settle the complaint. On its website, UniverSoul claims that “in over 17 years…none of our animal vendors have ever been cited for animal abuse.”